P & F Family Picnic

A very big thank to all families who attended our Welcome Picnic. It was great to see so many families connecting and enjoying the balmy Summer weather! Thanks to our parents and friends who organised selling ice creams and drinks.

Naplan 

This year Naplan Assessments for year 3 & 5 students will take place on the following days and times. Naplan is one part of our school’s assessment and reporting process. Teachers conduct a number of assessments before, during and after learning tasks to gain a better understanding of what the student knows and does not know. It is important for teachers to find out what students do not know as this assists with planning for future learning.

Wednesday 15 March @ 9:15am	Thursday 16 March @ 9:15am	Tuesday 21 March @ 9:15am	Wednesday 22 March @ 9:15am
Year 3 & 5 Writing	Year 3 & 5 Reading	Year 3 & 5 Language Conventions	Year 3 & 5 Numeracy

Teachers have begun preparing students for these assessments, which are completed online. Parents can locate further information about the assessments by clicking the link below.

2023 NAPLAN information for parents and carers

2023 Student Leaders

I am pleased to announce our 2023 Year 6 Student Leaders. The year 6 student leaders will be presented with their leadership badges at our whole school mass on Wednesday 22 February.

ARTS	FAITH & LEARNING	SPORTS	ENVIRONMENT
DAANIA  JACOB	BEN REBECCA CRISTINA	PAIGE XAVIER SOPHIE JACOB	VERONIKA ALBIE

Student Voice

Each year student representatives from each class nominate themselves and apply for student voice representatives. Students wishing to apply complete a simple application form. Teachers put forward students' names to the school leadership team who select the members of this group. The school leadership considers the student’s application and how each member will work together as a team. Classes are just beginning this process and we will announce the Student Voice Representatives in our next newsletter. The SV (Student Voice ) group will meet regularly with Mrs Donlon, putting forward ideas and contributing to making our school a safe and welcoming school, where everyone feels a sense of belonging.

Chess Club

This year we are able to offer a number of students a place in our St Catherine’s Chess Club. The club will meet regularly to learn new skills and practise for inter school Chess Competitions. This term we are focusing on experienced players.  James Donlon will work with students onsite to support their learning. Parents will be notified via Operoo, inviting their child to join our club. Later in the year, we will offer some sessions for beginners, so they too can practise and be part of future Chess Competitions.

 

Parents can register experienced players in the Chess Competition on Monday 20 March. See further information in the Chess article in this newsletter.

Choir

Our school  is now calling all students with a love of singing to join Miss Tess Carlisle, in the school Choir this year. Students need to commit to coming regularly to Choir practice, which will take place during some lunchtimes and class time. 

Whole School Mass

Thank you to Father John who said Mass and blessed our class prayer cloths for our whole school last Wednesday. During the Eucharistic prayer, Father John invited every class to come onto the altar. The students laid their hands on the altar and said “Jesus my friend”

Pancake Tuesday

On Tuesday 21 February, staff will be cooking pancakes for the students from 8:30-9:00am in the courtyard. Students and families are invited to arrive at school a little earlier than normal for this event. Classrooms will be open at 9:00am on this day.

Ash Wednesday

Our whole school will attend the parish Ash Wednesday  mass on Wednesday 22 February at 10:00am. Families and our Foundation students are welcome to attend.

 

Parent Teacher Student Meetings

CLICK HERE TO BOOK

OR

Parents/Guardians can also book via the school app or left hand side menu of the newsletter

OR

Enter the following address into your browser

https://scmoorabbin.schoolzineplus.com/view-session/25

Wednesday 22 March from 3:45-6:30pm

Thursday 23 March from 3:45-6:30pm

 

All students will participate in parent/teacher/student meetings. The meetings are designed to promote conversation between the student, their parents and their teacher, allowing students to demonstrate their individual growth and literacy and numeracy achievements that they are proud of.

 

The meeting structure will follow a simple format and will take place in your child’s classroom. The teacher will talk for 5 minutes, students for 5 minutes and parents for 5 minutes.We suggest that parents with more than one child do not book back to back meeting times, to allow time to move to the next meeting. We ask that siblings do not play on the playground or courtyard and wait quietly in hallways.

The benefits of including students in these meetings are:

• Students are supported to take responsibility for their own learning
• Monitor and share their progress through self and teacher feedback
• Evaluate their progress through teacher directed assessment and self evaluation
• Gives students a chance to show parents direct improvement in their own learning
• Allows parents, students and teachers to celebrate student success together
• Gives students a chance to develop and use real world skills:

*Self-reflection and evaluation

*Organisation and communication

*Self-confidence

Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Tuesday)- 21st February

Why do we celebrate Shrove Tuesday? The name Shrove comes from 'shrive', meaning absolution for sins by doing penance. The day gets its name from the tradition of Christians trying to be 'shriven' before Lent. ... Pancake Day itself came much later as a way of using up rich foods, like eggs, milk and sugar before the 40 days of fasting - Lent.

Join the staff for a pancake treat on Tuesday morning from 8.30am in the courtyard.

Ash Wednesday- 22nd February

Lent begins on Wednesday with the marking of ashes, a sign to remind us to live the way Jesus wants. It is the beginning of our preparation for Easter when Jesus rises from the dead. Lent is a special time when we stop and think about how we can play our part in God’s hope for a world that is fair, just and peaceful. We think about our relationship with God, and how through serving others we can grow closer to him. We also think about the changes we can make in our lives, to be God’s love and mercy in our world, ensuring all people have a just future.

 Lenten Prayer

God of Justice, 

We come to you today as members of one family.

Teach us how to be your loving presence to others.

Help us understand the challenges others face. 

Be with us as we try to change, to be people who take action for others.

 Help us seek a world where everyone has a just future. 

We ask this in Jesus’ name.  Amen

This week the season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, which also marks the beginning of the annual Caritas Australia Project Compassion Appeal. Donations to Project Compassion allows Caritas Australia, the Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development, to work with local communities around the world to alleviate poverty, hunger, oppression and injustice.

We encourage you to put your compassion into action this Lent through your prayer, fasting and almsgiving by supporting Project Compassion. Each family will receive a Project Compassion box for your donations or you can donate online via the Caritas Australia website at: lent.caritas.org.au The donation boxes will be sent home with your child on Ash Wednesday.

If you choose to collect during Lent, please return the boxes to school so we can add the school donations to St Catherine's Parish Donations.  

The 2023 Theme is ‘For All Future Generations’. This phrase is a powerful affirmation that the good we do today will extend and impact the lives of generations to come. It is also a call for all of us to play our part in making the world a better place by working together in finding long term solutions to global issues.

TERM 1 Reconciliation- 2023 Important Dates

Year 3 students will be eligible to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation in 2023

Sunday 5th March - 10.30am Parish Mass - Presentation of Candidates at St Catherine’s Mass- Family attends

Wednesday 8th March - Reconciliation Reflection Day for students at school

Wednesday 8th March - 6.00pm Reconciliation Family Workshop- St Catherine’s Learning Hub

Saturday 18th March - 10.00am Year 3 Group Celebrating Reconciliation- St Catherine’s Church

The following children will make their reconciliation on this day:

Term 1 2023 Parish Mass Attendance

 Parents are welcome to attend Parish Mass  (Whole School & Parish)

• 10.00am Wednesday 22nd Feb -  Years 1-6- Ash Wednesday Mass (School Leaders presented with Leadership badges) 
• 10.00am Wednesday 8th March - Year 3 & Reconciliation Candidates- Part of Reflection Day
• 10.00am Wednesday 15th March - Year 5/6AT & Foundation
• 10.00am Wednesday 22nd March - Year 3/4MD & Year 1/2CG
• 10.00am Wednesday 29th March - Year 3/4JB & Year 1/2TC

Please contact me by phone or email if you have any questions or require clarification.

Carmel Donlon- Religious Education Leader

Email: carmel.donlon@scmoorabbin.catholic.edu.au

Click on the image to catch up on the latest Parish Bulletin

FRIENDOLOGY 101 CURRICULUM

St Catherine's is a URSTRONG School. During Term 1 all classes teach the Friendology 101 Curriculum. The Friendology 101 curriculum is designed as a framework to support a whole-school

friendship strategy; the hallmark of a URSTRONG School. Language and strategies are used by staff and students in class and on the playground. 

By providing students with consistent language and strategies, Friendology 101 helps teachers create a school culture that promotes positive mental health, wellbeing, and kindness through the lens of friendship skills.

Parents can access resources by visiting the website  Parent Information

Please see below some of the lessons/activities that the students have engaged in over the last few weeks.

This term, students have been participating in the Friendology program. So far, students have learnt how to be friendship ninjas by learning about self-compassion and how to treat themselves like a best friend. They have also learnt how to name feelings and to recognize and embrace both positive & negative feelings.

Making Conversation

In Grade 3/4JB we are working on Session 2 of Friendlogy with the focus on making friends. 

SPOTLIGHT ON 3/4MD 

We have had a great start to the school year and both Mrs Moore and Mrs Davies are so impressed with the way the class have swiftly settled into our routines, class expectations and learning sessions. 

We have launched straight into our FRIENDOLOGY unit which aims at ‘creating a kinder world by empowering kids with friendship skills’. This week our focus has been on accessing and developing our ‘INNER NINJA’  which understands that in order to develop friendships, we need to first look inward and treat ourselves first like a best friend. 

Our lesson focused on strategies for ‘taming and releasing’  butterfly feelings full of worries and anxieties.  It was wonderful to witness the students feeling comfortable sharing their ideas and experiences while coming up with effective strategies to apply when experiencing ’butterfly’ situations in all school settings.

We created our own stunning butterfly artworks for display in the classroom and also recorded strategies of our own. We used statements such as “I can TAME my butterflies by… “ and “I can RELEASE my butterfly by…”

URSTRONG's Friendology 101 curriculum aims to enhance the social and emotional learning and wellbeing of children. The program explicitly teaches children a common language for confidently managing conflict and creating a culture rooted in respect and kindness towards themselves and others. This week, the FEL and 5/6AT worked together to identify their strengths by brainstorming things that make them happy and what they are good at. 

Selecting the Student Leaders

The year six students have been working hard for the beginning of the 2023 school year to apply for the student leadership roles. While collaborating with Mrs. Tavcar, the year six students shared what roles they thought were important in the school and what roles and responsibilities they believed were the key roles for each. 

Once the roles and responsibilities were decided, the year six students wrote letters of application to Mrs. O’Donnell outlined why they were the best choice for the
job and what ideas they wanted to implement throughout the school.

The final process was a job interview with Mrs. O’Donnell. Students had the opportunity to share what they thought it meant to be a leader, whom they admire, and elaborate on their ideas outlined in their letters.

We are so proud of how seriously the year six students have taken the application process and anticipate that they will have a fantastic year leading the students of St Catherine’s Primary School.

2023 Student Leaders

Alana Tavcar

Year 5-6 Teacher

St Catherine’s Interschool Chess Tournament

When: Monday 20th March- 9.00-2.30pm

Where: St Catherine’s School Hall

Facilitators: Kids Unlimited

Bookings & Cost: See Kids Unlimited Flyer

Parents and Friends Committee

Would you like to get to know other families and support our school community?

A reminder that all parents and carers are invited to join the P&F Committee. The Committee meets twice per term to coordinate events and fundraising activities to help our school community thrive and continue to be the amazing place of learning that our kids know and love.

Committee meetings are fairly informal and everyone is welcome to come along. Committee members contribute to the group by attending meetings and volunteering some extra time to help coordinate events either prior to or on the day.

If you are unable to attend meetings but would like to get involved, that’s fine too! Do you have a particular skill, interest or talent you’d like to share? There are other opportunities to volunteer a few hours of your time throughout the year. Please let us know via your class representative or
email stcathsparentsandfriends@gmail.com

2023 P&F Committee Meeting dates:

Tuesdays at 7.30pm

March 21
May 2
June 6
July 18
August 22
October 10
November 14

Location: School P&F room next to the asphalt basketball courts. Zoom available for those unable to
attend in person.

Class Representatives

P&F Committee Class Representatives for 2023:

Parents/Guardians please see Operoo for contact details of Reps

• Foundation: Laura McKell 
• 1/2 CG: Kate Boxer
• 1/2 TC: Julia Runci 
• 3/4 MD: Juliette Greskie 
• 3/4JB: Karen Glancy 
• 5/6TC: Abbey Walters

Welcome Picnic

Friday’s Annual Family Picnic proved that no heatwave, deluge or temperature drop could stand in the way of our St Catherine’s families and the fabulous opportunity to get together to welcome the 2023 school year. It was great to see our newest families enjoying connecting with others and getting to know the school community, and many familiar faces catching up on the oval lawn.

Between some friendly cricket, ball games, the playground and ice creams and chocolates from the P&F stall, parents, students and siblings made the most of the fantastic evening (with more than a few protests heard from tired voices when it was time to go home!). Thanks to all who were able to assist with selling drinks and ice creams, set up and pack down, it was greatly appreciated!

Canteen

Canteen is open on Thursdays during morning recess. Small packets of chips/popcorn etc and icypoles are available for sale. All items are fifty cents.

Mum's Time Out Group - Upcoming Events

Come along and join St Cath's Mums group, meet new faces, start to put names to faces from the school yard and have some time out!

• Thursday 23 February - Welcome Drinks
• Wilbury and Sons, Shop 4, 6 Station Street, Moorabbin, 7pm onwards
• Drinks at bar prices - www.wilburyandsons.com.au 
• **$19 Parma night for those wanting a meal**
• Please RSVP ASAP - Monday 20 February 
• Text Nat to join the WhatsApp group and to RSVP to events - 0438 548 739

Dad’s Group – Upcoming Events

Calling all dads! The St Cath’s Dad’s Group is a great opportunity to get to know other dads from the school and socialise in a relaxed environment with dinners, golf days, barefoot bowls and other fun events. 

The Dad's Group first social event for 2023 is this  Friday evening, February 24 at Grape and Grain in Moorabbin. Drinks at bar prices; BYO food/takeaway. If you'd like to attend the first social event or join the Dad's Group WhatsApp Chat to stay up to date with all the calendar events, please send a message to Bernard Laville on 0429 055 911,  Pete Brook on 0422 082 281 or Darren Brady on 0490 502 108.

Second hand Uniform Shop

A limited number of current uniform items are available for purchase from the second hand uniform shop including school shirts, dresses and shorts.

Located in the P&F room next to the asphalt basketball courts, the uniform shop will be open from 3.15pm to 3.45pm on the last Friday of each month:               

24 February, 31 March, 28 April and 26 May. Outside of uniform shop open times Laura/Paula in the school office are able to provide assistance.